Fourteen Colombian soldiers, rebels dead in combat
The conflict in Colombia sometimes spills over into Panamanian territory in the Darien. This recent combat occurred near the Panamanian border. After 40 years of fighting, there's nothing left of what used to be a leftist guerrilla movement. Now they're simply been fighting over who gets to control the drug money. Fourteen Colombian soldiers, rebels dead in combat17 Oct 2005 01:49:34 GMT
BOGOTA, Colombia, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Seven Colombian soldiers and seven rebels were killed in combat near the Panama border, the army said on Sunday, part of a pre-election wave of violence that last week put the military on high alert.
More than 60 hours of combat in northwest Colombia, during which Marxist guerrillas tried to capture about 200 soldiers, ended on Sunday when the insurgents were chased away by helicopter gunships.
"Unfortunately, we lost men but we did a lot of damage to the bandits and, most importantly, we were able to protect the civilian population," armed forces commander Carlos Alberto Ospina told reporters.
The army went on alert on Wednesday against rebel attacks after soldiers seized 155 pounds (70 kg) of explosives near the capital, Bogota, a day after mortars were found pointed at the presidential palace and two days after a key Senate ally of President Alvaro Uribe survived a car bomb.
The spike in violence comes days before the Constitutional Court is expected to decide whether to allow Uribe, popular among most Colombians but detested by the rebels, to run in next May's presidential election.
The constitution bars presidential second terms but Congress approved an amendment last year allowing re-election. It must be approved by the court in order to become law.
Over the past three years, Uribe, whose father was killed in a botched kidnapping by the rebels, has gone on the offensive against them, reducing crime rates and keeping his popularity ratings above 70 percent.
As the political season begins, analysts say the rebels are out to show they have not been forced into retreat by Uribe.
The Andean country has suffered four decades of guerrilla war that claims thousands of lives a year and forces tens of thousands more from their homes.
